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Topic: TVC - How true to the past should we be? (Read 2375 times)

In one of their post Toy Fair Q&A replies Hasbro said how if they carry a character forward over several waves( eg- Vader) they will change up the movie logo to add collector intrest.

Is that enough? Would collectors rather have a repro STAR WARS card of that shadowy death star duel shot... Or say-a new shot of Vader striding through the still smoking Blokade Runner with the classic silver logo and border. More exciting?

Another example would be the Tie -fighter pilot. Would collectors be happy with an Empire designation and ship shot-or would we all prefer an inaccurate but awesome star wars designation and" pilot inside the cockpit with all that fierce red light" shot?

I was thinking of putting this forward as a question to Hasbro -but was interested to find out what other people think.

Very interersting question. I guess it partly depends on the source imagery that Lucasfilms/Hasbro have to use. We only have a few randon group shots of the bounty hunters - for example that they have used before. I've often wished they had awesome single character shots of them. Much like other background characters, the only 'still shots' may be a freeze frame from the movie if no actual still photograph was made. Or they could go the route of very nicely produced artwork like with Jacen/jania figures where no actual live photograph/image exists.

The problem I see with this Vader is that he really should have been in a ROTJ wave and with a new cardback picture of the scene where Luke takes off Vader's helmet and we see Sebastian Shaw as the old, Sith power ravaged Anakin. A picture from that scene should be on this card.

There really was no need for another ESB cardback Vader, if anything I would have preferred they released a name-corrected Zuckuss figure as part of the ESB wave instead. Or, heaven forbid, how about the Hoth Rebel Trooper figure that never saw release from the TLC Blue/White ESB wave?

There were plenty of alternatives that could have been slotted into this wave and instead they went with leading off with a Darth Vader.

I wonder if that's a requirement of the Hasbro execs to the Star Wars brand team? Everytime they refresh the line, Darth Vader needs to be released inside the first wave.

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Peter

Letting my collecting OCD get the better of me on a DAILY basis... and loving EVERY minute of it!

Personally, I think new photos on subsequent releases would be a good idea. We've already had a Vader, Luke Bespin, and 3PO on vinatge cards, I think new photos would be cool.And mind you, I'm a 77 fan. I have all the vintage figs. I love those toys dearly, but I have been dreaming of new cards since 1995, when I was very confused that Hasbro did not use the classic card look.

What I'm not really looking forward to is EU stuff that will most likely use comic art on the cards. It's just not my thing. I like the photos.

What I'm not really looking forward to is EU stuff that will most likely use comic art on the cards. It's just not my thing. I like the photos.

And I think that's one of the major reasons why even Hasbro is shying away from the EU right now.

I would think though that any photo that's been made by dressing up a model/actor/actress as an EU character for a CCG card or a trading card would be fair game.

For example, I could totally see Hasbro giving us the ultimate SA "Emperor's Hand" Mara Jade and using this as the card photo:

I know there are more cards out there from the various CCGs like Kyle Katarn and more Thrawn Trilogy Characters that they could draw on, I'm too lazy to look for them on Google now, but I know I've seen them.

I also wouldn't put it past them to cast an actress to portray Bastilla and put her in front of a digital matte painting like they did with that Mara Jade picture above - I know that would cost them some $$$, but it would be a nice way to maintain a level of consistency in the Vintage line.

« Last Edit: July 2, 2010, 12:55 AM by Pete_Fett »

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Peter

Letting my collecting OCD get the better of me on a DAILY basis... and loving EVERY minute of it!

My deepest interest in cardbacks is usually relegated to the specific characters I really care about enough to keep a carded one... Tarkin, Fleet Trooper, or Bossk... I can't say I really care then how they do the cards, but I'm of the opinion that the cooler they can make them look, the better. These aren't true vintage figures, so why care, ya know?

The only figures I'd care to be true to the vintage look are the original carded vinty figures. This new stuff though, I'm all for Hasbro playing a bit, and seeing what they can do.

After they did the original vintage figures, I'm all up for new pics for recards or new characters, etc. as well. Like it was mentioned, we've already gotten things like Vader, 3PO, etc. on vintage cards, so if they want to do something different, I think that would be neat. I think Darby made a good point, if we wanted what was used originally, we could go after those (although at a much higher price). I sort of like using the original pics/cardbacks for the first release of things (like the VOTC Han, Leia, Luke, etc.), but if they decide to repack those figures again, I'd be ok with them changing things up. As sad as it is, it would probably drive sales for them as well, because I know I'd be more likely (ok, probable) to rebuy them then.

Interesting question overall. There are ways that Hasbro could change things up with the cardbacks, but there has to be some method to their madness.

Take Vader for instance. That original Vader card has a pretty iconic look. And even though Hasbro used it in the VOTC line, there seems to have been enough time that's passed between that line and the new Vintage Collection that it seems perfectly fine for Hasbro to use that same art this time around. HOWEVER, if Hasbro were to issue a different Vader in late 2011 or early 2012 while we're still in this line look? Then I'd like to see a different photo on the cardback to differentiate between the two Vaders in the one line. Make that image more scene specific to the new figure.

In the case of the rumored R2-D2 with pop up lightsaber? Even though the POTF card art doesn't match the feature, I think it would be cool to see that little-seen cardback artwork come back.

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"You were entrusted to lead the Republic." - Vote for Ven Zallow from THE OLD REPUBLIC in figure polls!

I like the Echo Base Han and Dack cards in the new line. They're absolutely perfect, and look like they belong in the vintage line. I say bring on something new, especially for characters done in the VOTC/VTSC lines.